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The Knicks waved goodbye to their coach on Wednesday afternoon, but as he leaves, Mike D"Antoni may be taking Jeremy Lin's future with him. Amid the team's recent losing steak, there were serious questions about whether D'Antoni had lost control of the team. But a bigger question remains for the Knicks: what happens to their budding star point guard now that he'll be forced to play for a new coach in a new system that doesn't emphasize his subtle strengths and may uncover his very real weaknesses.

In a little more than a month, Lin moved from being a bench-warmer to one of the most popular athletes on the planet. His popularity came about because he was playing great while the team was winning. Why was Lin playing great? In short: Because of D'Antoni's system, which was the glass slipper for this hard court Cinderella.

D'Antoni's offensive system is unique in the NBA. It encourages fast breaks and quick shot making, literally encouraging players to shoot in seven seconds or less. This high-octane basketball is perfectly suited to a point guard who can see the floor and make quick decisions. A point guard like Jeremy Lin.

In Phoenix, the synergy between D'Antoni's system and Steve Nash's skill set earned Nash back-to-back MVP awards. Lin seemed poised to become the East Coast answer to Nash. Now all that seems very much in doubt.

In a more conventional offense, the point guard is called upon to beat his man off the dribble in a one-on-one (or isolation) situation and penetrate to the basket for a pass or a shot. This requires foot speed and leaping ability, as well as mercurial ball handling. Nash was lacking in those departments, and Lin may be even more limited in those areas Lin may be a quick study, but you simply can't teach the foot speed of a Chris Paul or the rock-solid handle of a Deron Williams.

When D'Antoni left Phoenix to come to New York, Nash's productivity declined--his scoring average dropped by two points, and he had two fewer assists per 48 minutes--he and suffered similar drop-offs in other statistical categories. He went from being a superstar to just a star. Remember that Nash was a 34-year old veteran, who had previously functioned, if not flourished, in more conventional offense. Look for a much more serious decline from Lin, whose career as a starter isn't yet 20 games old.

What does the future hold for Lin? When asked to run a more conventional offense on other teams, his performance couldn't earn him a roster spot, much less a starting job. He's slow afoot by NBA standards and prone to turnovers and the team's new system will undoubtedly require Lin to handle the ball under pressure, while creating his own shots. It's not clear who the Knicks coach will be, but it's a virtual guarantee that he won't be running an offense like D'Antoni's.

D'Antoni's resignation is the outcome of a power struggle between star forward Carmelo Anthony and, well, everyone else. Anthony wants the ball in isolation situations, and D'Antoni's offense, as run by Lin, wasn't getting him the touches he wanted. Essentially, in accepting D'Antoni's resignation, the team's brain trust, notably owner James Dolan, has sided with Anthony at the expense of Lin and other young Knicks. It's a decision that could cost the team for years.

In fairness, it should be noted that D'Antoni's offense has its limitations, especially in playoff situations. In the post-season his teams underachieved when opponents could develop strategies to counter this hyperactive system over the course of a playoff series. But almost by accident, it did give the Knicks something they've been lacking for years--a true star in the person of Jeremy Lin. It remains to be seen whether he can shine as brightly--or at all--in a more conventional basketball setting.